Lubricating apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,026,132 LUBRICATING APPARATUS Victor G. Klein, St. Loui Engineering Com ration of Missouri Application March 18 This invention relates t and with regard to cert to a lubricating pump.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an improvement upon the construction shown in United States Patent 1,893,464, issued to Frank S. Barks, January 3, 1933, for lubricating apparatus; the provision of apparatus of the class described which will separate and expel entrained air from lubricant under all conditions of operation of the pump and for various lubricants; and the provision of apparatus of this class which is simple in construction. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

The drawing is a vertical section showing one embodiment of the invention.

' As disclosed in said Patent 1,893,464, it is known to provide a lance-like pump cylinder having a reciprocating plunger therein operated by a suitable engine attached to the top of the cylinder. The cylinder is thrust through an opening in a commercial lubricant drum and upon operating the engine, the plunger is caused to withdraw lubricant from the drum, pumping the same through said cylinder and to an outlet. After the drum is emptied, the assembly, including the engine, is removed and applied .to another drum to empty it. The present invention relates in par- 0 lubricating apparatus, ain more specific features,

ticular to an improvement in the cylinder and its reciprocating plunger.

As is shown in said patent, the cylinder is provided with a foot valve underneath which are openings through which lubricant is drawn from the drum in which the lubricant is carried. Op-

eration of the structure of sai been satisfactory, with the exception of some difficulty encountered when the oil level in the drums drops to a critical point at the top of the foot-valve intake port. At this time, if any agitation occurs in the oil surface, an amount of air is entrapped with the oil as it is drawn into the pump. tube. The air eliminating means of the above-mentioned patent, while effective for air entrained with the grease, is not perfectly effective for this auxiliary air. The result is that some air passes from the pump outlet with the lubricant and shows a registration if a meter is attached to the outlet. After the oil level drops d prior patent has s, Mo., assignor to Lincoln any, St. Louis, Mo., a corpo- 1935, Serial No. 11,655

9 Claims. (01. 103-203) an eighth of an inch or so below the top of the intake port, then only air is drawn in and this is eifectively eliminated. It will therefore be seen that the present invention includes in its function elimination of air during the short period of .5. time that the lubricant level is descending past the upper edge of inlet port Referring now to the drawing, numeral indi cates the bottom of the container into which a pump cylinder 3 is thrust. The pump cylinder 3 is 10. provided with an intake bushing 5 having openings I, and in which iamounted a foot valve 9. The intakebushing 5 rests upon the bottom I in normal operating position of the pump in the container.

A piston rod H has threaded on a shoulder |3 a piston head l5. The rod extends down- A wardly as shown at I! and is downwardly provided with a shoulder I9 upon which is threaded a lower piston head 2|. The heads l5 and 2| are provided with suitable packing means 25. Between the heads l5 and 2| is supported a sleeve 23., The sleeve 23 is cylindrically spaced from the cylinder 3 to provide a cylindric passage 21.

A ring 29 is carried upon a reduced portion 3| of the sleeve 23Fsaid ring having a conical bottom 30 resting upona corresponding conical seat 33 formed onthe lower piston head 2|. The head 2| is also provided with an upper seat 35 interiorly of the sleeve 23.

Openings 3'! efi'ecta communication between the space 39 below the head 2| and above the valve 9 on the one hand, and the space 2 above the head 2| on the other hand.

The openings 31 are normally closed by a valve 35 4| which is biased toa seating position by means of a relatively heavy spring 43,-th latter reacting against a pin 45 positioned in said extension I1. It will be understood that the openings 31 comprise a plurality of cylindric forms, or comprise a peripheral form with radial spokes or the like.

Openings 41 communicate radially between the openings 3'! and the seat 33 below the ring 29 and are positioned as high as possible in the openings 45 31, for purposes to be disclosed. The openings 41 end outwardly in a peripheral recess 4 so that the ends of the openings do not interfere with proper seating of the ring 29.

It is to be understood that the foot valve 9 is loosely borne in the member 5 so that it may open and close upon suction and compression strokes respectively, and the ring 29 is loosely mounted on the reduced portion 3'| so that it may rise from and fall to a seat.

, This is because the air,

passage through the small openings 41 lubricant gravitating downwardly. Thus the air has been freed, and forms a charge ofair above the lubricant positioned above the valve 9. Then when the head 2| moves downwardly, the relatively stiff spring 43 maintains the valve 4| in closed position as long as only air is encountered. being a very mobile fluid, readily finds its way through the small openings 41, lifting the peripheral ring 29 and escaping out of openings 49. Openings 49 are so positioned in the cylinder 3 that neither of the packing rings 25 ever crosses said openings 49. The relatively thick and. less mobile lubricant does not progress readily through such openings.

As the downward motion tinues, the surface of the lubricant is finally reached. The lubricant presents more friction to and consequently a greater back pressure is built up against the valve 4| which opens, even against the relatively stiff spring 43. Hence, lubricant is passed from below the head 2| to a. point above the same within the sleeve 23. Openings 5| per.- mit the lubricant to find its way through the upper head 15.

A very slight amount 'of lubricant may pass through the opening 41, but the amount is negligible. The presence of the lubricant in the passage 21 is of no consequence, so far as the airrelieving feature is concerned, because the air Furthermore, no appreciable head of lubricant of the plunger concan build up within the clearance 21, because.

when the lower head 2| approaches the openings 49 on an up-stroke, the lubricant which has leaked into this space gradually passes out through said openings 49.

After the head 2| has reached its lowermost position, itagain rises. The check valve 4| automatically closes, and the ring 29 has already seated on the seat 33 over the openings 41. The" inlet foot valve 9 then automatically opens and suction is effected and .a fresh charge is drawn into the space between the valve 9 and the head 2|. As .the charge is drawn in, any entrained air therein" is, of course, rarifled under the suction pressure and, becoming lighter, tends to separate more quickly from the lubricant because of the greater difference in the specific gravities of the lubricant and the rafified air. Even lubricants which are heavy and viscous have the air quickly separated therefrom in the throttling action through foot valve 9. The device is effective for heavy and light transmission and diiferential be interpreted as illustrative and. not in a limit-.

ing sense.

' foot valve at the base thereof, a plunger therein,

- sleeve'normally biased I claim:

1. A pump comprising an upright cylinder, a foot valve at the base thereof, a plunger therein, said plunger comprising an upper packed head and a lower packed head, 'a sleeve connecting said 5 head spaced from the cylinder, said heads having openings therethrough permitting passage of lubricant through said sleeve, a valve within the sleeve normally biased to block passage through said openings, outer valve means seating upon said lower head in the space between the sleeve and the cylinder and normally biased to closed position, said lower head having at least one opening communicating from its lower side to the 'space between the sleeve and the cylinder, said opening being relatively restricted so that air is readily passed but not lubricant, said outer valve means normally closing said last-named opening.

2. A pump comprisingan upright cylinder, a

said plunger comprising an upper packed head and a lower packed head, a sleeve connecting said head spaced from the cylinder, said heads having openings therethrough permitting passage of lubricant through said sleeve, a valve within the to cover the openings in the lower head, an outer valve normally seating upon said lower head in the space between the sleeve and thecylinder, said lower head having at least one opening communicating from its lower side to the space between the sleeve and the I cylinder, said last-named opening being relatively restricted andbeing normally covered by the outer valve, whereby air may pass by raising the valve outside of the sleeve but presenting enough friction to flow of lubricant so that said valve inside the sleeve is automatically opened when lubricant reaches the passages.

3. A pump comprising a cylinder, an intake valve associated therewith, a piston comprising 40 spaced heads having openings therein and sealed with respect to the cylinder, spacing means for the heads providing a passage through the. piston and a chamber between the same and the cylinder, said cylinder having outlet means 45 communicating with said space and positioned so that said sealed heads do not cross the same, means resisting flow of compressible fluid through the piston but responding to permit flow of non-compressible fluid, said piston hav- 50 ing a communicating means from the inlet side thereof to said space around-trio same permitting relatively free flow of compressible fluid but only restricted How of non-compressible fluid, and valve means within said space normally seating 55 to close said communicating means upon a suction stroke. 5

4. A pump comprising a cylinder, a suctionoperated intake valve associated therewith, a piston comprising spaced heads having open- 60 ings and sealed with respect to the cylinder, spacing means thereon providing a passage through the piston and an annular chamber between the same and the cylinder, said cylinder having outlet means communicating with said annular chamber and positioned so that said chamber is always in communication therewith, means resisting low pressure flow of fluid through the piston but responding to permit 70 flow under higher pressure, said piston having a communication from the inlet side thereof to said'chamber permitting relatively free flow of compressible fluid but only restricted flow of non-compressible fluid, and annular valve means 75 within said space normally seating to close said communication upon a suction stroke.

5. A pump comprising a cylinder, a suctionoperated intake valve associated therewith, a piston comprising spaced heads having openings and sealed with respect to the cylinder, spacing means thereon providing a passage through the piston and an annular chamber between the same and the cylinder, said cylinder having outlet means communicating with said annular chamber and positioned so that said chamber is always in communication therewith, means resisting low pressure flow of fluid through the piston but responding to" permit flow under higher pressure, said piston having a communl= cation from the inlet side thereof to said chamber permitting relatively free flow of compressible fluid but only restricted flow of non-com.- pressible fluid, annular valve means within said space normally" seating to close said communication upon a suction stroke, said piston carrying an annular seat for said annular valve means adjacent said communication. 6. A pump comprising a cylinder, a suctionoperated intake valve associated therewith, a

2 piston comprising spaced heads having openings and sealed with respect 1 to the cylinder,

spacing means thereon providing a passage.

through the piston and an annular chamber between the same and the cylinder, said cylinder having outlet means communicating with said annular chamber and positioned so that said chamber is always in communication therewith,

means resisting low pressure flow of fluid through the piston but responding to permit flow under higher pressure, said piston having a communication from the inlet side thereof to said chamber permitting relatively free flow of compressible fluid but only restricted flow of non-compressible fluid, annular valve means within said space normally seating to close said communication upon a suction stroke, said piston carrying an annular seat for said annular valve means adjacent said communication, and a recess in said seat providing a terminal for the communication.

7. A pump comprising an upright cylinder, a suction-operated intake valve at the foot thereof, a piston having a predetermined stroke, spaced sealing heads on said piston including a suction head having openings therethrough, spacing means providing a moving chamber between the piston and the cylinder between said sealing means, said c linder' having at least one outlet adapted to be in communication. with the means in said space normally lightly biased to cover said communicating means upon a suction stroke, said communicating means presenting relatively slight restriction to flow of mobile fluids and substantially greater restriction to 5 the flow of less mobile fluids, whereby said relatively heavily biased valve remains closed and aid valve in said space remains open upon transferring a charge from the suction to the compression side of the piston so long as mobile .10 fluid is encountered, said heavily biased valve automatically opening when a less mobile fluid is encountered which is restricted by the communicating means.

8. A lubricant pump comprising a cylinder, an inlet suction valve associated therewith, a piston within said cylinder having a transmission passage therethrough, a valve in said passage normally biased to close upon a suction stroke when said suction valve opens, said piston being formed to provide a chamber between its ends and the cylinder, outlet means in the 03 1-- inder communicating with said chamber, said piston having a communication from the region between said valves and to said chamber, a third valve normally biased upon a suction stroke to close said last-named communication and upon the reverse stroke to open it, said last-named communication presenting relatively low friction to passage of air and enough greater friction to lubricant to substantially resist passage of lubricant to the chamber and to force lubricant to open said valve in the passage through the piston, whereby pumping of the lubricant is primarily efiected, and said air is shunted from the cylinder.

9. A lubricant pump comprising an upright cylinder, an inlet suction foot valve associated therewith, a piston within said cylinder having a transmission passage therethrough, a valve in said passage normally biased to close upon a suction stroke, said piston being formed to provide an annular chamber between its ends and the cylinder, outlet means in the cylinder communicating with said chamber, said piston having radial communications from the region between said valves and to said annular chamber, an annular valve normally biased upon a suction stroke to'close. said last-named communications and upon-the reverse stroke to open them, said last-named communications presenting relatively low friction to passage of air and enough greater friction to lubricant to substanair is shunted from the cylinder.

VICTOR G. KLEIN. 

